Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he will veto a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in California, and Catholic voters are urged to contact his office in support of his decision.

"It does become important for people to call and thank him," said Carol Hogan, associate director for pastoral projects and communications at the California Catholic Conference. "Politics a lot of time works on the squeaky wheel principle," she added.

The California Assembly voted Sept. 6 to legalize same-sex marriage, following State Senators on Sept. 1 --- both with the minimum number of votes. Golden State lawmakers became the first in the United States to sanction gay marriages without a court order.

While no Republicans voted for the bill, 41 of the Assembly's 47 Democrats voted yes, with four Democrats voting no and two abstaining. The final vote was 41-35.

AB849 --- The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, authored by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) --- redefines marriage as a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between two persons.

At press time, the legislature was in the process of sending the governor the bill. Supporters of same-sex marriage are urging the governor to reconsider his decision to veto. An editorial in The New York Times portrayed him as a "profile in timidity." Public protests are taking place in Sacramento. Neither house has a sufficient majority to override the governor's veto.

The legislature is in opposition to the will of Californians, said Hogan. Proposition 22, which states "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California," passed in 2000 with 61 percent of the votes.

Schwarzenegger has said that AB 849 is unconstitutional, because only another initiative can overturn a previous initiative.

In a written statement announcing the governor's decision to veto the bill, Schwarzenegger's spokeswoman Margita Thompson said: "The governor believes the matter should be determined not by legislative action --- which would be unconstitutional --- but by court decision or another vote of the people of our state. We cannot have a system where the people vote and the legislature derails that vote."

The teaching of the Catholic Church encourages its members to minister pastorally to all God's people, while at the same time preserving marriage between a man and a woman.

The U.S. bishops' 1997 pastoral letter, "Always Our Children," written for parents of homosexual children, recognizes the inherent dignity of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation. The church stands against prejudice and hate towards homosexual people.

Catholic Church teaching also opposes same-sex marriage. The church maintains that marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman, and that children are best nurtured by married parents in a loving home.

"We are now at the point of protecting marriage," said Hogan.